Bussiness
Waterford Township moves to buy easement for trailer business driveway
Waterford Township trustees approved a resolution to buy an easement – formal permission – to use a driveway shared by a business and Fire Station No. 3. It’s the latest move in an ongoing dispute with a trailer sales business owner.
Firefighters have used the driveway for decades as part of a verbal agreement with the property’s previous owner.
Jon Bloch now owns the property at 71 S. Cass Lake Road and has been embroiled in two court cases with the township over planning and zoning rules compliance.
When asked by the township, he declined to continue the agreement and sued to block the fire department’s access to the driveway.
The township paved the driveway in 1988. It’s the only safe way to reach the fire station’s parking lot, which includes a diesel fuel tank.
The trustees authorized Supervisor Gary Wall and the township’s attorney to have the driveway appraised and make a good-faith offer to the Bloch.
An easement would allow Bloch to keep the property while permitting firefighters access to their parking lot, fuel tank and building.
Should Bloch refuse the offer, Wall said, he and the township attorney are authorized “to pursue necessary legal action, including eminent domain, if an easement agreement cannot be reached with the property owner.”
State and federal laws allow a government to take a property using eminent domain where the land is needed for public use. Should the township succeed in seizing the driveway, it could not be resold or used for economic development purposes. State law requires the township to pay 125% of the seized property’s fair market value.
Bloch’s legal entanglement with the township started after he made changes to his property before getting a site plan approved for the township. He was initially ticketed after cutting down dozens of trees on his 9-acre lot – and a few on a neighbor’s lot – most of which were on state-protected wetlands. Bloch has since met the state’s remediation requirements.
The township ticketed him for developing his property without an approved site plan, a case that remains open in the 52nd District Court.
Late last year, the township requested an injunction from Sixth Circuit Court Chief Judge Nanci J. Grant – a court order requiring Bloch to stop working on the property. The hearing started earlier this month but Judge Grant paused testimony to preside over a murder trial. The township’s case is scheduled to resume at 10 a.m. June 18.
Bloch did not respond to The Oakland Press’ requests for comment on the easement.
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